Today's Opinions

We are standing at a crossroad in history. This has been and will be a record-breaking presidential election, in more ways than one. And for the first time in a long time, Kentucky voters will play a crucial role in selecting the presidential nominees.

The Republican presidential primary has already been decided and they have quite a formidable candidate in Senator John McCain. But it's the Democratic race that still has many people on the edge.

National Crime Victims' Rights Week, which will be observed April 13-19, calls on all of us to consider the life-changing impact that crime has on victims and their loved ones, and to make justice for victims an urgent priority for our communities. This year's theme clearly expresses that sentiment: "Justice for Victims, Justice for All."

This means that there will be no justice for any of us if we don't always seek fairness for our victims. I ask now that everyone in this community reach out to those who have been victimized and stand behind all those harmed by crime.

It's getting worse. That's a fact. A story in the works for Monday's issue will tell it like it is.

The number of reported child abuse cases in Taylor County is on the increase.

The story focuses on statistics from Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky. Last year, according to the organization, there were 269 cases of child abuse involving 369 children reported in Taylor County. Of those, 58 were substantiated, involving 105 children.

In 2006, there were 202 cases reported, involving 228 children. About 50 of those cases were substantiated, involving 74 children.

Voting is one of the most important things that can be done as an American. Voting gives people the right to voice their opinion on pending laws, ordinances and who they want to serve in local and state offices. It also will let people decide who will be the leaders of our country.

Voting makes it impossible for someone or one party to stay in an office longer than the legal amount of time.

Well people, it's here now. Those hard times that are coming are already upon us. A story on "60 Minutes" detailed a famous person who runs a medical program comprised of volunteer doctors and nurses of various fields banding together and providing free health care for a weekend for those who are either uninsured or underinsured.

Feb. 7, 2008 was a glorious day in the history of the General Assembly of the state of Kentucky. On that date, the Republican-controlled Senate passed a comprehensive abortion bill, SB 40, by a vote of 34-4. After passage, the bill was sent to the Democratic controlled House of Representatives.